Oak Bluffs Appointment to MVC Stalls

Oak Bluffs selectmen again postponed a decision about their appointment to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission after a lengthy and at times heated discussion Tuesday.

A new slate of commissioners was elected in November and will take office in January; every Island town also appoints a voting member to the regional planning agency.

In Oak Bluffs three people had expressed interest in the appointment: Susan Desmarais and John Breckenridge, who both ran on the November ballot but were not elected, and Abe Seiman, who has served in the past as a member of the MVC. Mr. Breckenridge is currently serving as an appointed member.

The town appointment was on the agenda for the selectmen’s Nov. 29 meeting, but when Ms. Desmarais was the only one to attend, selectmen said they wanted to hear from all three candidates and postponed the matter to this week.

On Tuesday they learned that Mr. Breckenridge was withdrawing his name from consideration because of medical concerns. “I’ve been proud to serve the town for the last 12 years,” he wrote in an email to the board, urging them to appoint a well-rounded candidate.

Ms. Desmarais again attended the meeting. Mr. Seiman did not. Nevertheless, four of the five selectmen appeared reluctant to appoint her this week, lamenting Mr. Breckenridge’s decision to withdraw and suggesting that the town advertise for more candidates..

“I don’t think we all can thank John enough for his service to the commission,” selectman Michael Santoro said. “I know it kills him to step aside . . . He served us well. And we’ve got some big shoes to fill.” He said he would like the position advertised.

Selectman Kathy Burton agreed. “I’m thrilled and encouraged by other people wanting to jump in to service,” she said, but she wondered “who would truly represent my thoughts and feelings, and I know John so well . . . he truly advocated for me.”

Walter Vail had similar remarks. “I might have felt differently if John had stayed in as a candidate. Now that he’s gone I’d like to see us open it up too,” he said.

Mr. Vail offered words of appreciation for Ms. Desmarais but stopped short of backing her for the appointment. “I think it would be well if we had a chance to spend more time with Susan,” Mr. Vail said. “It’s such an important position, I’d really like to see other Oak Bluffs residents step forward and say ‘I’d like to serve on the commission.’”

Board chairman Gail Barmakian had a different view, noting that in the past selectmen had made appointments without advertising, and that shouldn’t change because Mr. Breckenridge withdrew.

“Let me just say I think it’s unfair at this point.” she said. “We have two candidates, Abe and Susan. Abe is not here. Susan obviously has shown interest and had run and had a good showing in the vote. I think it’s the right thing to do at this time, both to honor the will of the voters as well as this process.”

But selectman Greg Coogan echoed others that the board should advertise.

“The tenor I get from the board is that John was a comfortable member of the commission, and without putting words in everybody’s mouth I think . . . he had a pretty good shot of getting reappointed, is one way of looking at it,” Mr. Coogan said.

Planning board member Ewell Hopkins said Ms. Desmarais was a strong candidate who received a high number of votes in every Island town. And he said Mr. Seiman has experience on the commission.

“I believe you have a very strong supported candidate from a populist perspective and a candidate with a record you can look at,” he said. “I encourage you to look at those two candidates.”

Mr. Coogan said the election results should not matter. “It’s not about votes,” he said. “It’s about who do we feel represents us.”

But planning board chairman Brian Packish said the vote should matter to selectmen. “At the end of the day I voted for you so you would be an extension of me,” he said.

Joyce Dresser criticized the selectmen for handling the matter poorly. “I think this is really an insult to Susan and a slap in the face, that having put herself out there, gotten so many votes, well we don’t think you’re good enough,” she said. “That just doesn’t sit right with me.”

Mr. Santoro said the audience made good points, and said he had been impressed with Ms. Desmarais at their last meeting. “I would love to hear comparisons to other people,” he said.

But Ms. Desmarais told selectmen if they postponed a decision, she didn’t “want anything to do with it.”

“I am really, really frustrated right now,” she said. “What I’m hearing is you’ve never done this in the past and you’re doing to do it now, and the will of the voters is not enough to do this appointment. I feel I’ve shown my commitment, shown my interest.” She said she told each of the selectmen she was available to talk more if they had questions.

“This feels to me like the politics of Tammany Hall and it absolutely is shameful,” she said. “I voted for each of you and I won’t vote for any of you again.”

Comments (16)

Dean, Rosenthal

This isn't the right way a functioning town appointment works. Here we have town officials who aren't satisfied with Susan, who also happens to have won plenty of votes, and so they are waiting for someone they like best to step forward. They are even going so far as to solicit other candidates, which is outrageous, if you think about it. That's not democracy. Many of us would not want Mr. Trump if we had our very own persona Andy ore powerful say as we are seeing here, but according to the rules, he won and we can't just ask for someone else because we don't want him or his competitor. The field has already made itself clear and the right thing to do is to appoint Susan or Abe. It is also worth pointing out that Mr. Coogan has forgotten the meaning of "one vote, one person". Yes, votes do matter. How he could have forgotten that in December of a presidential election year is astonishing.

Why have us vote if you have no intention on abiding by the rules. See perfect example, 'HE' wants.
I'd suggest the one who has shown up each time and punctual is your best bet. The no show has shown you what is important and arriving on time is just not important to them. Tadah!!!!

As a recent observer of several OB Selectmen meetings, I'm "disturbed" by the way the group operates, communicates -- and most of all, how effective they are...at best, "dysfunctional", at worst, "negligent". Slow to act is an understatement on items that are clear. OB deserves better.

What we have here, is a failure to communicate.
Ms. Desmarais believed that the position was based on appeal to voters, candidate interest, and, perhaps, some sort of objective qualifications.
In reality, the selectmen are empowered to appoint whoever they choose. Their choice is based on how likely a candidate will do what the selectmen want on any issue.
Ms. Desmarais was obviously qualified from an objective sense--it is perhaps a compliment that she was perceived as unwilling to be the voice of the selectmen.

It's sad that people here can't understand the difference between the elected positions n the commission and the appointed positions. Losing in the election for an elected positions does not mean that person should then be appointed.
The ignorance of how our system works is an indictment of our educational system. I guess civics isn't important.

Shame on you, OB, for playing slimy politics. In the world we live in, it takes a strong group of individuals to do the right thing. Oak Bluffs is clearly NOT that group. Susan Desmarais will succeed in another positive influence in our community, with you or without. Sadly, you stand before us without tails between your legs!
I do understand tar and feather now.

Agreed, the job of the selectmen's appointed rep to the MVC is to represent the selectmen (and, one hopes, the town's interests) to the MVC and to keep the selectmen informed of what's happening in the MVC. This requires clear communication between the rep and the selectmen. Susan Desmarais is quite capable of holding up her end, and the fact that she made a strong showing in the election, though not decisive, does demonstrate her commitment and her credibility with voters. But it seems that most of the selectmen are so comfy with Breckinridge that they don't want to consider anyone else. This is exactly how institutions get sluggish and unresponsive. The MVC could use some new blood as well.